Fredrick Powell
|death=20 November, 2041 |species=Human |gender=Male |height= |mass=Underweight |hair=Greyish-white |eyes=Dark |skin=Fair |occupation= |era=NoHead era |affiliation=U.S. Government |masters= |apprentices=}} Fredrick Powell (1993 – 20 November, 2041) was a public official of the government working in the Town Hall, partnered with Professor Saul Bailey and a friend of Percy. Fredrick is described as having sallow-skin and a mournful face, and due to his strange nature spoke in a “sepulchral” type of voice and had an unfaltering gaze that made anyone he looked at uncomfortable. Biography Early life Frederick Powell was born in 1993. Eventually, he began working for the government, who parted him with Professor Saul Bailey and an unidentified friend of Percy. In 2030, Fredrick Powell attended the S.M.S.B. Skyfighter Tournament with Saul Bailey. The following summer, he ran into colleague Percy, who was in a rush to reach the Town Hall for a meeting with the governor. Soon after, Fredrick resigned from his post as governor temporarily (and unknowingly, for life). Second Cold War Attempts at theft Ten years later, Fredrick became a target of the Knights of Plague, as the Gladiator was seeking the Orb of Power for himself, an artifact of which was stored in the Hall of Domination in Transylvania Quarters. Knight of Plague Eve Higgins informed the Dark Lord that a government official would be able to fetch the orb for him, after an attempt to force Russell Stewart to steal it while under the same form of force failed. Sebastian Lestange, one of the Gladiator’s spies at the government, possessed Fredrick Powell to force him to attempt the same theft. Sebastian Lestange noted that Fredrick showed unusual resistance to his mind techniques, which Augustus Salt suggested may have been because the official knew what would happen if he tried to remove one of the artifacts. He mentioned that this was more difficult than he had expected and made him very nearly late for an important Knight of Plague meeting at Transylvania Quarters (as Fredrick’s nature allowed him to resist). Many of the other Knights of Plague were impressed with Sebastian’s work, John Webb clapping him on the back in congratulations, but the Gladiator pointed out that Powell was only one man, as well as that he needed Evans surrounded by his agents before he acted. He then asked Fredrick if he had anything to say, and Powell said he was ready for the theft in a strangled monotone. Injury About a month later, Fredrick was forced into the Hall of Domination, as he was still possessed. The moment he touched the orb, the defenses around it were triggered, as Fredrick had left his position. Fredrick suffered Taboo damage that affected his mind, causing him to believe he was a teapot. However, the shock of it lifted the mind control. Believing Fredrick had simply been injured in a workplace accident, he was taken to NYC Hospital for treatment, but his injuries seemed irreparable, and as such was moved to the Taboo Damage ward, left lying in his hospital bed, comatose most of the time, and those times he was awake, he was mumbling and staring at the ceiling. Death Eventually, Fredrick Powell’s condition took an upturn, and his health began to steadily improve. Upon learning of this, the Knights of Plague, unable to risk the no-longer-controlled Powell getting better and exposing their plan, sent him an anonymous “get-well-soon present” — a potted plant and a calendar. The Healer in charge of the ward at the time, Martha Strout, was busy over the Thanksgiving period, putting up decorations, looking after patients, seeing to visitations from family and friends etc. and as such overlooked the plant’s dangers, in direct contradiction of NYC Hospital’s strict guidelines on decorations permitted in wards, and left it on Fredrick’s bedside cabinet table. Over the next few weeks, Doctor Strout, noticing Fredrick’s improving speech and mobility, encouraged Fredrick to look after the plant himself, unaware that that the “rather ugly plant” was a disguised cutting of animate vines. One night, the plant, touched by the convalescent Fredrick, throttled him instantly, causing Fredrick to asphyxiate. Fredrick was discovered dead in his bed the next morning, and doctors were immediately called to the scene, though were unable to revive Fredrick. NYC Hospital, as a result, promised a full inquiry, though were unable to account for the presence of the plant on the ward, and Doctor Strout herself was suspended on full pay. Post-mortem After Fredrick died, the Gladiator severely punished Eve Higgins for her bad advice, especially after hearing a true account of what would have happened from fellow Knight of Plague Wallace Blanks. The death of Fredrick was ruled as a “tragic accident” and the newspaper reported it as “Tragic Demise of Government Worker,” though Master Intelligence realized the truth during the Battle of Transylvania. Aside from Master Intelligence and his friends, there seemed to be no other teenagers or legal adults who knew or cared about Fredrick’s death. Physical description Fredrick Powell is described as having sallow skin and a very mournful face. He had an unfaltering gaze that made anyone he looked at uncomfortable. Due to his strange nature, he spoke in a “sepulchral” type of voice. Etymology *The name Fredrick is the English form of a Germanic name meaning “peaceful ruler,” derived from frid, “peace,” and ric, “ruler, power.” It has been a very common name for rulers of the Holy Roman Empire, Germany, Austria, and Scandinavia, such as Frederick the Great of Prussia. Fred is also sometimes used as a diminutive of Alfred, derived from the Old English Ælfræd, meaning “elf counsel,” or Alfrid, meaning “old peace.” Alfred the Great was a ninth-century king of Wessex who battled the Danes and translated many Latin books into Old English. In Norwegian, Danish, and Swedish, Fred means “peace.” *The name Powell is the Anglicized form of Welsh ap Hywel ‘son of Hywel’, a personal name meaning ‘eminent’ (see Howell). In Irish, the name is mainly of Welsh origin as said before, but sometimes a surname adopted as equivalent of Gaelic Mac Giolla Phóil ‘son of the servant of St. Paul’ (see Guilfoyle). Behind the scenes In , Fredrick Powell is among those in attendance at the Meeting at Transylvania Quarters. The book does not specify whether he has already been possessed or if he has allied with the Knights of Plague under his own free will, though his actions seem to suggest the latter. Appearances * Notes and references Category:2041 deaths Category:1993 births Category:Heroes Category:Males Category:Underweight individuals Category:NYC Hospital permanent patients Category:American individuals Category:Mutants